Christmas exhibition 200 years of Aldeburgh Lifeboats 28 Dec – 2 Jan

This year Aldeburgh Museum is having for its Christmas Exhibition  – 200 years of Aldeburgh’s Lifeboats.

March 2024 marked the bicentenary of the RNLI which was founded in a London tavern on 4 March 1824. Since then, the RNLI has continued saving lives at sea. The Aldeburgh Lifeboat started 2 years later, in 1826, when the Suffolk Association for Saving the Lives of Shipwrecked Seamen decided to put a boat at Sizewell managed from Aldeburgh. The Suffolk Association transferred all its boats to the RNLI in 1851 and the Sizewell boat moved to Aldeburgh.

2024 has also proven to be, probably the last year of an All-Weather Lifeboat (ALB) being stationed at Aldeburgh.  The Mersey Class ALB has been replaced by an Atlantic 85, a B class inshore lifeboat which is one of the fastest in the RNLI fleet.

Aldeburgh Museum has a good collection of photographs of Aldeburgh’s lifeboats since Victorian times and we decided to mount an exhibition  to display these photos together with additional pictures from the RNLI and other sources. These we have also incorporated into a photobook.

Do come and see our exhibition which is being held in the Courtyard Gallery just off the High Street through the arch by the Suffolk Hotel MAP

FREE ENTRY  Open December 28th to Jan 2nd 1030 – 3:30.

 

Related Items
Back To Top

 
 

Is this the first virtual tour you have done?
yesno

What is your preferred type of content?
Films with soundFilms without soundText and image hotspots

Did you complete the tour with anyone under 16?
yesno

Would you like to receive updates on our events? If so, please provide your name and email address below

 
 

Guided Tour Booking Form
Using our online virtual tour, one of our expert volunteers will guide your group around the Museum, sharing their detailed knowledge of the collection and the Moot Hall. Tours will be conducted using Zoom and last approximately 1 hour.
Tickets start at £4.95 per person, minimum 5 people in a group.

To help us select the best tour guide for your group, please complete the short
form below. A member of our team will be in touch shortly.

Please provide your contact details below.

Do I have to wear a face covering?

No.  This is now optional (but subject to change).

Can I go into the museum if I just turn up?

Yes please do. We no longer have a pre booking system in place. An admission ticket will be issued on entry.

How do I get a ticket for entry?

Please just turn up and purchase an admission ticket on arrival.

When will you be open?

Are opening times are always from 1pm to 4pm. From April to the end of October we are open every day (except when the building is needed for civic events).  From November through to the end of March, we are open weekends only plus additional days in school holidays/half-terms.

How accessible is the museum?

The museum has worked hard to ensure that everyone is welcome and is able to access the displays and enjoy themselves when they visit us.

Access for visitors with physical disabilities
The Moot Hall is a grade one listed building and the exhibits are on two floors, with the main entrance on the first floor and the exit on the ground floor. For those with limited mobility who cannot climb the stairs, there is access through the ground floor, where you can look around the museum room and its exhibits. Tablet computers will provide support for those unable to climb the stairs (coming soon). Our front-of-house staff are ready to assist when you arrive.

We are sorry but the museum is not wheelchair accessible but it is possible that access could be possible for small wheelchairs through the ground floor. Please let us know your requirements.

Access for visitors with visual impairments includes:
Tablet support (coming soon) and a handling collection and items to touch. Access dogs are welcome.

Access for deaf or hard-of-hearing visitors includes:
Subtitles for spoken word film material. Assistance dogs are welcome.

Access for visitors who have a learning disability, dementia or are on the autistic spectrum includes:
An experienced member of staff.  In due course, we expect to have SEN backpacks and a sensory map.

If you have any additional needs please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.

What is there for children?

Whether you have tiny tots or teenagers, there’s plenty to do with the family. There is dressing up as a mini mayor, games and challenges, trails and more.

Whether that’s seeing our exhibitions or taking part in one of our workshops, we want you to feel at home here.

We have special activities in school holidays/half-terms.

 

What is included in my admission ticket?

Your admission ticket includes entry to all our temporary exhibitions and permanent collection displays.  Your ticket enables you to visit multiple times over a one year period though does not cover special events.